


More "Nailed It", Less "Bake-Off"

by RoseRose



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Cooking, Dating, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21686350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseRose/pseuds/RoseRose
Summary: Tony and Steve are about to have their first date. While preparing food for their date, they reminisce about how they got together.Basically first meeting/first date/getting together fluff.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42
Collections: Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019
> 
> Thank you to my artist, Tiny_Dragongirl! First recipe is here: [Iron Man's Mini Pizzas ](https://rogueholmes.tumblr.com/post/189557104872/not-so-fine-dining-with-tony-stark-and-steve)
> 
> And second is here: [Cap Cake](https://rogueholmes.tumblr.com/post/189630358842/not-so-fine-dining-with-tony-stark-and-steve)
> 
> Thank you to betheflame for the beta!

[](https://imgbb.com/)

Tony hadn't thought he'd ever be nervous about a date again after he broke up with Pepper. That was before Steve. With Steve, he wanted everything to be perfect. He didn't want to mess this up, because Steve deserved the best. He had spent so long with nothing and so Tony wanted to give him everything. That was why he was making dinner at home. While reservations were more the name of his dating game, Steve was not used to the places where he would usually go and eat. And for this, their first date, he wanted to make him comfortable. How that was coming over to his place rather than being in public, Tony wasn't sure, but he knew that was the case, so he went with it.

Steve was not Tony's usual type. Pepper was closer, but maybe it was a sign that his type wasn't right when the only two people he'd ever been nervous about making sure it went right were so different from his usual type that his usual type wasn't right. Damn it. He was going to have to thank Nat. She was the reason this was happening at all, but he hated having to admit she was right.

Tony's mind drifted back to when this all started. Natasha, Pepper's assistant, had said she had a recommendation for an artist for the abstract mural in the lobby. He had no idea who to pick or really even cared that much about the details, so Tony hired her recommendation, sight unseen, and had him come in for a discussion of what was going to be created. That first meeting was full of crackling energy, so much so that Natasha later said she was worried she would have to break up a fistfight.

The tiny details started to come back to Tony.

The first sight he had of Steve was when the man stepped into his office after knocking. The best way to describe him had been _delicate._ But that first impression quickly shifted. Short and fine boned the man might be, but his strong jaw was set stubbornly and quickly, despite his stature, Tony's description of the man changed to _force of nature_.

“Mr. Stark? I'm Steve Rogers. I'm here about the abstract mural?”

In the office, Natasha stepped forward from where she was hidden. “Come in, Steve. We're going to go over the plans.”

“Also, call me Tony. Mr. Stark was my father.” Tony was flippant, like he was with all new people, his press face firmly plastered on.

“Then call me Steve.” Steve strode forward to the desk, body confident, and held out his hand for a shake. Impressed by being treated as an equal, Tony returned the shake. Too many people who walked into his office either grovelled or treated him with disdain. He was instantly prepared to like the younger man. That quickly changed, however.

“I'm thinking the whole thing in red and gold.” Tony was flashy and he knew it. He wanted his lobby to reflect that flash.

“The mural space is HUGE. That much red and gold will be overwhelming. We should add some additional colors into it. Blue and white, perhaps. They will hold up to the red and gold without making it even more overbearing.” Steve's voice was firm and insistent. Tony couldn't decide between anger and desire, but decided to go with anger for his response.

“Excuse me? Who is paying you for this mural? Shouldn't I get what I want?” As soon as Tony finished the outburst, his anger faded. Still, he didn't apologize because he wanted to see what Steve would do. Would he back down, or would he stand his ground?

“I believe you're paying me for my expertise in addition to my work. You may be an expert at technology, but I am an expert at art. If you're not going to listen, then maybe we should reconsider the business arrangement.” As soon as Steve said this, Tony noticed Natasha moving forwards out of the corner of his eye, probably to intervene. Before she could, he decided to back down. Steve was wrong about the red and gold, but he was right about why he was being hired, and anyway, he liked people who were willing to argue with those in positions of power.

“You're right. I am hiring you for your expertise. So, you're hired. When do you think you can show me concept art of your idea, using the red, gold, blue and white?” Tony wanted to laugh internally at the shock on Steve's face at suddenly getting his own way. It was more than the shock from just this time, too. Apparently Steve was used to having to argue his way in. Tony was intrigued, and ready to get to know more about this artist who was willing to argue with him for the sake of his art.

“Uh... um... I need exact dimensions, first, so I know what I have to work with.” Steve stammered at first, but quickly recovered, another plus for him in Tony's book. He was going to have to find a permanent job for Steve after the mural was done. Steve seemed like friend material, and he was already paying all his friends in some way. It was just what he did.

Tony slid a folder over to Steve. “This should be all the information you need. It includes the dimensions, and the budget for materials and assistance. I'm assuming, given the size, you'll need people who can follow instructions to help you complete it. In there is also a list of contractors SI has used in the past if you don't have your own people for it. Is there anything I missed that you need?” Watching Steve be shocked, again, was fun. Tony loved defying expectations, including that he wasn't going to care about this mural. He was also sure he surprised Natasha a bit, but she didn't show it. He knew she never would.

Steve recovered well. “All right. With that information, I should have a proposal to you in a week. Would you like to meet at the same time next week to go over it?” Again, Tony was impressed by Steve's confidence. Usually when he met with contractors, or basically anyone who wasn't a CEO themselves, they would ask about his schedule and when he could squeeze them in. Instead, here was Steve, proposing a time. Still, he didn't know his own schedule that far out, so Tony looked towards Natasha.

“Same time next week will work for Tony, but I won't be able to be there. Do you think you manage without me next time?” With that, Natasha directed a glare at Tony that clearly said, 'You better be able to manage, and you better behave.'

Tony gulped and said, “I'm sure Steve and I will do fine.”

With that, the end of the memory of their first meeting, Tony shook himself and went back to preparing dinner. He wasn't much of a cook, but when he saw how these mini pizzas looked in the picture on the website, he was sent back to that meeting, and knew that was what he had to cook for dinner. The golden yellow and the red were reminders of the two of them, for him, at least.

Tony sighed. He really had no idea what he was doing. While he had managed to order all the ingredients to be delivered, he was having to look up videos of how to do practically each step. If this meal wasn't a disaster, that would be a miracle. Tony may have been a card carrying atheist, but he started to pray that it would go well. That's how much he wanted the night to succeed. It was his first date with a man that he thought might be perfect, so he wanted their first date together to be perfect. That was why he was attempting to cook at home. Steve wouldn't want a fancy restaurant, and he'd just been in the tabloids, again, so anything less would see them mobbed by paparazzi. Hence, him cooking.

Tony shook himself out of his introspection. The timer went off, it should be time to remove the dough and make the pizzas. Having never cooked anything that rose before, he was absolutely shocked at how the dough ball had grown. He had sort of expected it to stay the same size. As Tony tried to make the crusts, he quickly grew frustrated at the dough sticking to his fingers and of it not behaving when trying to make the crusts look perfectly round. He was an engineer who had taught himself to freehand circles to draft plans. Why couldn't he make a simple circle out of dough?

Eventually, Tony gave up on making perfect circles, and went to add the sauce and the toppings. Despite not having perfect bases, he wanted to his best to impress the artist in Steve, so he spent quite a bit of time making sure the toppings were exactly in place, and as aesthetically pleasing as he could manage. When he was finally done, he placed them off to the side to clean up a bit so he didn't set anything on top of the oven on fire. Then, he looked at the time. Steve was due any minute! Tony cranked up the temperature on the oven.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's turn to cook!

Steve's ma had raised him to always bring something when he went over to someone's place to be social, and that went double when it was for a date. Tony wasn't really the flowers type (though there was also a small bouquet of those, just to cover his bases), so Steve was going to bake. He never really baked much, but he figured it was the best thing to bring. Not that anything was really adequate, he was, somehow, going on a date with a _billionaire_. Steve still wasn't sure how they had went from employer and employee to having a first date. All he knew was that he wanted this date to go perfectly, because he was already completely in love with Tony.

After their contentious first meeting, Steve had returned to the Tower with designs for the abstract mural he had been contracted for. Expecting another argument, Steve was completely shocked when Tony had been absolutely thrilled by the design, and wanted to go with it, as it was. Also, when his proposal was significantly under budget when it came to assistants, Tony insisted that he’d still pay full price and simply increase Steve’s profit margin. 

It was then time for Steve to be a bit obstinate. He never realized his own worth, so he tried to argue his own value down. At that point Tony laughed and told him to stop. Steve instantly puffed up, insulted, until Tony skewered that. “I'm paying you what you're worth. You don't think I know what you're doing here? You're amazing. Stop arguing yourself down.” Steve instantly deflated and in a daze agreed to a compensation plan he felt was far too generous.

When, after that meeting, Steve was invited out to drinks with people named Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey, he accepted, still in a daze. Sometimes he was still sure he was dreaming. Here he was, an artist who grew up a poor kid in Brooklyn, and now he was going on a first date with _Tony Stark_. Steve didn't think of him that way anymore, of course, but the sense of unreality was still there. That first night of drinks didn't actually do a lot to dispel it, either. He was comforted by Pepper while out at drinks, who reassured him that his reaction to Tony was normal, and so was Tony's to someone trying to undercharge their own value. At that point he started going from skeptical of the businessman to awe of the man. It took a bit of time for feelings to come back down to earth.

Steve could remember with picture-perfect clarity the day Tony asked him out as a date. It had started with what had become regular end of the week drinks with their entire group of friends. (Bucky and Pepper got along surprisingly well, though it always made Steve nervous when they talked, since he was 100% certain the two of them were sharing stories of “what crazy shit did my friend pull this time?”). Natasha knew both of them, and Tony dragged along Pepper and Happy. Rhodey (who despaired of getting rid of the nickname since now all of Steve's friends use it since that's how he was introduced) was in town, so he was there, as well. Steve dragged along Bucky and Clint, though Nat probably would have dragged Clint if Steve hadn't. Steve still wasn't used to getting his picture taken by the paparazzi, which happened at every single one of these outings. The only reason they were able to go out for drinks at all was that Tony rented out a room at the bar for them to enjoy themselves, but still be able to duck out to the bar if they wanted that atmosphere.

The rest of the crew had decided they wanted to dance, leaving Tony and Steve alone, possibly for the first time since that meeting where Steve had been distracted by Tony’s public persona. Tony scooted closer to Steve, fidgeting. Steve had no idea why, they got along amazingly at this point. They still butted heads over small issues, but they always ended up laughing together by the end. Then, when he heard what Tony had to say, his heart thudded in his ears.

“Steve, would you like to go out on a date with me?” Tony's voice was the most tentative Steve had ever heard, but he couldn't think over the sudden thudding of his heart. This was what he wanted, what he had wanted ever since Tony had treated him as an equal rather than either a peon, or, as literally everyone except Bucky, and now Tony, had done at least once, as a delicate flower who needed to be protected. He hadn't known he had wanted it, but now that he did, it was a dream come true.

“Tony, I would love to go out on a date with you.” Steve was proud that his voice only shook a little in response, considering he had never expected this in a million years. He even managed a shaky smile when he saw how much Tony had relaxed at his response, betraying his previous nerves. Feeling emboldened, Steve scooted closer to Tony in the booth they were sharing and leaned in to him.

He had no idea how _right_ something could feel before that moment. Tony belonged against him, and he belonged against Tony. It became _perfect_ when Tony wrapped an arm around him and leaned his head against Steve's. It wasn't protective, it was sharing. It was the first time Steve had dated someone who hadn't taken the first opportunity they had to wrap him in cotton wool,so clearly, ‘yes’ had been the right choice. Now he had to make sure the first date went well. He knew himself, and he really didn't want to deal with paparazzi on the first date, or a restaurant that he didn't feel he could be himself in. That left only one choice. Not traditional for the first date, but he trusted Tony. Now to see if Tony would go along.

“Hey, Tony? I don't want the tabloids to know about this yet. I want us to be solid, first. Our friends can know, but can we try to keep it from the paparazzi?” Tony frowned down at Steve. Clearly he was worried this was a dealbreaker. “I know you can't promise anything, but maybe we could have our first few dates on the down low, just to give us a chance?” Tony perked up a bit, and clearly started to run his brain, that glorious brain that Steve hadn't realized how much he loved, the one that had run numbers so fast that second meeting.

“There are discreet restaurants out there, ones that would work with me...” Tony trailed off as Steve started frowning.

“I don't want a restaurant I feel like I can't be myself in. Maybe for another date, but I want to get to know you, spend time with you without worrying about my fork.” Steve didn't want to invite himself over to Tony's place, but he was going to make it the obvious solution. And if Tony didn't catch on, he would suggest it, but he felt awkward enough talking around to it.

“Baby, when you're ready, we're going to have the finest of fine dining. But for this first date, would you really want to come to my place in the Tower? Still seems a bit much for the first date.”

“Tony, maybe in a different circumstance, it would be. But in this one, it's the best option. It's quiet, intimate, and we can get to know each other as a couple rather than as friends. And I trust you.”

Tony goes still and quiet, and for a moment Steve thinks he misjudged. Then, in a quiet, tentative voice, Steve hears, “you trust me?”

Steve's heart breaks just a little for Tony, and he becomes even more determined for this date to go perfectly. “Yes, Tony, I trust you.”

Shortly after that important declaration, their friends returned to their private alcove. Seeing the two of them together, Natasha's lip turned up, in a motion that her friends recognized as an expression of true joy “I knew the two of you would be perfect together! Why else do you think I set up that second meeting for when you had to be just the two of you?”

Tony and Steve both sighed in unison. Both of them were used to Natasha running their lives, but they also knew if this date worked out, she'd be calling in favors until the end of time. At that point, the night was almost over, but one last amazing part still happened. As they all went their separate ways, Tony leaned over and gently pressed his lips to Steve's. Despite Tony having to lean down a bit, Steve didn't feel smaller in any way. He felt powerful, that he could bring this billionaire to such tenderness.

Shaking himself from the memory, Steve continued to finish up the cake. It was almost a tart in shape, with the cake holding a filling-like icing. He was preparing the icing, while fantasizing about his amazing date. The cake was ready in good time, and looked absolutely perfect. Steve didn't dare try a bite, because it had to stay looking perfect. He even took a cab because he didn't want to risk the cake on the subway. Far too soon for his sudden case of nerves, Steve found himself outside the door to the penthouse. He knocked on the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the date!

Tony panicked. That's the only word for the way his heart rate shot up, his thinking disappeared, and all he could do was freeze as his brain just repeated _‘He's here!’_ over and over again. Just as quickly as he froze, though, he shook himself out of it enough to open the door. He wanted this to go well, and the only way it could do that was if it _actually_ started, and for that to happen, Steve had to come into the penthouse. Fortunately for his brain that was still in panic mode, Steve talked first. Tony appreciated that. It saved him, and showed one of the things that had him wanting this date with Steve, the ability to just jump in.

“I brought dessert!” Steve shoved forward a covered tray containing a beautiful cake, with a star done in berries. Tony loved it. The artistic vision Steve had was always amazing to see, and the colors reminded him of the mural. The cake was a yellowish color, reminding him of the gold, and then the blue and red berries on the white icing finished it off. It was how they met, on a plate. Tony felt his smile grow sappy, so to distract from that, he took the tray and set it down. That's when disaster struck. The fire alarm went off as smoke started to snake out from the oven.

“The pizzas!” Tony shouted and dashed forward to open the oven. When he removed the pizzas, they were just burnt charcoal. Tony was devastated. Here was this gorgeous man that he wanted to take care of as much as the man would let him... and his first attempt was completely ruined. It looked even worse next to the artistic cake Steve had brought. He was so disappointed in himself he could barely hear Steve next to him. This was a disaster, and he had so desperately wanted everything to go perfectly. Steve was clearly perfect, look at the cake he had brought. Tony, obviously, was just a failure. Maybe he had a ton of money, but domestic things... Finally, Tony tuned back in to what Steve was saying, and he was both shocked and not shocked to find it was reassurance. Shocked, because he had _ruined_ dinner, and not shocked because that was who Steve was, kind and gentle.

“Don't worry, Tony, we can do something else. Let's order some takeout, I'm just glad to be here with you.” Steve, to Tony's eyes, looked worried, about Tony, not about the food. It was strange to be having a date with someone who was in it for Tony rather than in it for what Tony's money could buy. Pepper had really been the only one who had been like that, and he didn't want to think, on this first date, about how _that_ had ended.

“Okay, yeah. Yeah, let's do that.” Tony winced internally. Instead of confidence, his voice trembled a bit. He perked up, though, when he realized Steve was gently running his hand against his arm, offering silent reassurance. Being touched always made him feel better. “What do you like on your pizza? It'll have to be store bought, rather than homemade, but since I was planning on pizza, anyway, we might as well stick with the theme.” Tony was stunned by the grin Steve gave him. It was elf-like and mischievous, lighting up Steve's entire face.

“Usually I'd say anchovies, but those aren't great first date food. How about a classic pepperoni pizza?”

Tony tentatively returned the grin, and even let out a bit of a laugh at the thought of anchovies on a first date pizza. He was still upset at the way his food had turned out, but was very glad Steve seemed to be all in to try and make the date work anyway. “Pepperoni works for me. I'll put in the order. It'll probably take a bit to show up, though. Want to start a movie while we wait?” If he wasn't going to get a perfect dinner, a comfy cuddle on the couch would have to do.

“Sure. A movie sounds like a great plan. How about _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_? I still haven't seen it, and I know you wanted to show it to me.” Steve looked, to Tony's eyes, eager to watch the movie. That was gratifying. Tony had been outraged at a bar night a few weeks previously, just before they had agreed on this date, at the knowledge Steve had never seen the movie. Honestly, he wasn't sure he could successfully date someone who didn't find it funny, mostly because then their senses of humor would clearly not be compatible, and given how much time he spent trying to be funny, well, someone who didn't appreciate that was clearly not right for him.

Tony got the movie set up, and the two of them sat on the couch. As soon as the movie started playing, Tony was reminded for the first time that night that Steve was smaller than him. Usually Steve's personality made it so his size didn't matter, but the size was actually nice for cuddling. When Steve leaned over to cuddle, and Tony's arm wrapped around him, Steve's head fit so comfortably against his shoulder. He could hold Steve like this forever, it felt so wonderfully right the way they fit together here. Steve's legs curled up under him, so his thighs were against one of Tony's. Tony just pulled Steve even closer against him, sitting up straight so that Steve's head nestled right in where his shoulder and chest met. As the movie started, Tony tilted his head to rest it against Steve's. Despite still being disappointed in his own cooking, everything felt right in the moment.

Almost an hour later, well into the movie, Tony found himself very disappointed at having to untangle himself from Steve to get the pizza. Steve's head had dipped lower throughout the movie to the point where he was laughing hysterically into Tony's thigh, laying horizontal on the couch. Tony was absently stroking Steve's hair as he also convulsed with laughter due to the antics of the Pythons. Sighing as he got up, he opened the door and accepted the pizza from the delivery man. “Let's just eat on the couch,” he suggested. “That way we don't have to stop watching the movie.”

Tony was still lost in wonder at how amazing Steve was when he made sure the side of his leg was molded against Tony as they both sat up to devour pizza while finishing the movie. After they finished, and Tony had switched up the movie to _Monty Python's Meaning of Life_ , it was Tony's turn to snuggle against his date. This time, Tony was laying on the couch, head on Steve's thigh. It wasn't actually that soft, but it was solid, and the hand in Tony's hair was confident and sure. Tony snuggled down on Steve's leg, feeling safe. His eyes started to drift shut, though he kept listening to the movie. When Tony heard Michael Palin give the “meaning of life” as per the Pythons, he sat up, as Steve boggled a bit at the rest of the monologue.

“Huh. I think I liked _Grail_ better.”

“Yeah, _Meaning of Life_ is a bit more uneven, but some of the sketches are pretty awesome. But, now that it's over, let's go ahead and try that amazing looking cake of yours.” Tony walked over towards the kitchen, where the cake had been waiting for the past few hours. “It almost seems a shame to slice into it, it's gorgeous, just like everything else you make.” Tony realized he was going to have to compliment Steve like that even more often. The blush on his face was both a brilliant red and absolutely adorable. Of course, everything Steve did was adorable. Tony had really fallen hard for the artist.

“Of course we can cut into it, it's meant to be eaten. Do you have a knife we can use?” Steve uncovered the cake while Tony went through the kitchen, grabbing a knife, forks, and plates so they could dig in to the delectable looking cake. Then, the cake was sliced, Steve cutting carefully through the star design, to show the way it was shaped almost like a tart with a cake shell. Tony's mouth watered.

“I can't wait to try it! It looks amazing!” Soon, the two of them were sitting at the dining room table with their respective slices. They both took their first bite at about the same time.

“Oh no, Tony! I'm so sorry! I'm not sure what went wrong!” Steve's apologies came out immediately, at a rapid pace. Tony watched Steve wince as he tried to hide his own grimace at the taste of the cake. The cream tasted like really salty cheese, and not in a good way. “I think I might have used salt instead of sugar in the cream mixture. I'm so sorry!” Steve was wringing his hands, clearly as upset about his cake as Tony had been earlier about the pizzas. Tony, as soon as he had swallowed his mouthful, reached out and stroked Steve's arm, just as Steve had done for him earlier. And just as it had calmed Tony, Steve started to calm at Tony's ministrations.

“Don't worry, Steve, it's fine. Apparently eating out or ordering in should be the plan for date night for a while. Listen, I know you were worried about the paparazzi for our date, but I'm fairly sure we could manage a late night ice cream place and be home before they notice. There's one down the street that has always been good to me about not calling them, and it's late enough that the ones who camp outside are mostly home for the evening. Want to end the night with some ice cream?” Tony finished this sentence by drawing Steve into a hug. “Not that I want it to end, but if it doesn't, we can't have a second date.” With that, Tony threw Steve an exaggeratedly flirty wink, which had the result Tony was looking for. Steve burst out into laughter.

“I don't want tonight to end, either. Maybe the food's been a disaster, but you've been amazing.” Steve smiled at Tony, who basked in the sunshine glow that came from knowing Steve felt the same way. “Let's get the ice cream to go, though. I don't want to risk ruining the night with paparazzi. I want the memories of tonight to be between us.” Tony thought his heart would melt from how sweet Steve was being.

“Okay, let's go, then. It's two blocks, we'll walk, leaving the public entrance. The paps don't usually watch that, they're usually watching either the cars, or the private entrance, the one that requires a keycard. At least, as long as they're not expecting anything. When they are, I can't go two feet without a photographer.” Tony frowned. Steve had been pretty insistent about the lack of paparazzi. “Are you sure you're okay with dating me? You seem to be really upset with the idea of the paparazzi.”

Tony was reassured by the way Steve instantly started shaking his head. “No, I just want this first date to be ours as much as possible. I understand it's going to very quickly change, but tonight, tonight is our night.” With that, the two of them enacted the previously discussed plan and snuck off for ice cream. When they got back to the penthouse, they both breathed a sigh of relief at having not been caught.

“Back to the couch?” Matching actions to words, Tony sat down on the couch. Steve came and sat next to him. Once he did, Tony sighed. “Thank you. I wanted everything to go perfectly tonight because I wanted this date so much. Thank you for rolling with things when they went wrong.”

“Of course. I'm just glad you kept on rolling, too. Things might not have gone perfectly, but I still think it was a perfect first date. And, Tony? Would you like to go out with me on Friday? My treat. There's a wonderful Italian restaurant near my place.” Tony bit back his instant affirmation with another question.

“The paparazzi are sure to notice that. Are you sure, Steve?”

“Yes, I'm sure. There's nothing I'm more sure of than dating you.” With that, the two of them leaned into each other. And if they fell asleep together on that couch, they never told. (Natasha knew, but Natasha always knew.)


End file.
